BOOK REVIEW 16:TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD: HARPER LEE

 

GENERAL OVERVIEW:

RATINGS:5/5

GENRE: RACISM, LITERARY FICTION, INNOCENCE, PREJUDICE

AUTHOR: HARPER LEE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nelle Harper Lee was born on April 28, 1926 at Monroeville, Alabama, U.S. She was an American novelist best known for her 1960 novel "To Kill a Mockingbird". It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize. It has become a classic of modern American literature which is a great contribution and honour in the history of American Literature.Though Lee published only two novels during her entire life she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007 for her contribution to literature. Both of her works are praiseworthy.She also received numerous honorary degrees. She did her education in legal studies from University of Alabama.

Her other Notable works is 

"Go Set a Watchman".(2015)

She died on February 19, 2016 (aged 89) at Monroeville, Alabama, U.S.

INTRODUCTION:

"To Kill A Mockingbird' is an American novel set during the time period of 1930's.The plot and characters are based on Lee's observations of her family, her neighbors and an event that occurred near her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, in 1936, when she was ten. The novel is narrated by a nine years old Jean Louis Finch"Scout" who studies at local school in small neighborhood in Maycomb, Albama. Her father is a reverent lawyer in town who is antagonistically famous for advocating in favour of a Negro,Tom Robinson. Tom is accused guilty for rape of a White girl, Mayella Ewell. Here Atticus is considered as a moral hero and an idol for most of the lawyers till date.

ANALYSIS:

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…

Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

I personally connected with these lines in the book told by Atticus. 

Boo Radley who is a neighbor of the Finches, so negatively interpreted as a psychic that Scout and Jem(Scout's elder brother) consider him as a ghoul and their house as a dark, spooky residence. Because the neighbors seldom see them in their porch they makeup their own viewpoints which is mostly negative. But you never know anyone unless you are in their shoes. Which is so brilliantly proved towards the end of the novel. There are still lot of more valuable lines from the book where you are connected to the characters. 

I enjoyed reading the story because it's unpredictable and brilliant the same time. Though the story is being narrated through a nine years old Scout,it is so very true and humourous yet so matured enough. She has a very good depth of understanding and analysing any situation. The racism injustice faced by Tom is so very humourously and poignantly narrated by Scout.

 You are able to vividly elucidate the courtroom scene when Tom is under the trial for the crime of a rape of a White girl. The tension,the terseness, the fear, the bitterness of words,the intrigue, the pressure, the lies and the truth and most importantly the presence of the evidences before the judge so intricately detailed that you assume that you are one of those spectators of one of the two litigants. The major belligerent here is between the innocent versus the culprit. And the  innocent is the immemorial belief that they are always the culprit just on the basis of the colour of skin,ethnic origin, language, and what not.

 It becomes so very interesting when Atticus tells the children that if there is ever a fight between a White and the Black it is so much evident  that the Black is always guilty on the grounds of their immemorial belief. 

I admire the way Jem is aggravated when he hears this kind of injustice in the lawsuit where no one is considered above the other,every one is here created equal and just in the eyes of law. It clarifies how colour discrimination veils the truths even inside the courtroom where truth and only truth is justified.

 Lee also addresses issues of class, courage, compassion, and gender roles. While her brother is out with his friends, she is expected to behave lady like by her aunt. Yet I like Jem cause he involves Scout in every play he plays and takes her along every where he goes. He protects her when required and scolds her when essential. 

It also emphasizes on tolerance and prejudice. We judge the Black Americans as guilty for every possible crimes that occurs. People assume a vista that Tom like people are corrupt, filthy, unfriendly, liar and above all criminals. 

Mockingbird is a bird that gives you the pleasure of music by singing sweet songs and marvellous melodies. Atticus says,"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit them,but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” Because mockingbird does nothing troublesome but give the pleasure of music to your ears.

 Mockingbird in the novel symbolises beauty and innocence. And if you kill someone or something that is beautiful and innocent it's a major sin. And there's no any greater sin than to kill a mockingbird. What I can assume here is Tom symbolises the mockingbird. And all the citizens of Maycomb, Albama has killed a mockingbird because of prejudice. And all of them are sinners as they are directly or indirectly responsible for the death of the mockingbird.

It is a heterogeneity of simplicity of childhood observations with adult complicated situations. Scout and Jem, could understand the complexities and horrors involved in the trial for Tom Robinson's life.Scout's precocious observations about her neighbors and behavior proves she is witty and smart despite her age.

The interracial understanding between Atticus's family and their housekeeper Calpurnia is constant delight. It corrobates the authenticity that Atticus truly is a man of reverence. 

 At least one has hope, and is grateful for it. The period after trial is something that readers are so eager to know. And to be honest Readers are not disappointed at all. 

CRITICISM:

 I truly enjoyed reading the novel. But the characters simplicity or subtlety is so evident that readers at one point or the other feel irritated with the characters personality. Like I was squinting my eyes and fuming all over when Atticus didn't respond at all when he was publicly humiliated. Its because of his maturity and responsible personality that he deserves respect. But a person should also stand and counterfeit for the wrongdoing as well as the wrongdoers. 

The other supporting characters in the novel already were aware that after the rape trial Bob Ewell was to have vengeance against Atticus in one way or the other. And when Atticus, who is always so calm and serene, found his own son and daughter being attacked by the culprit only came upon realising the depth of his innocence and his belief.

Atticus is written as the platonic ideal of a father. He is so very concerned of his image as a father and lawyer. The black characters, Robinson and the family’s housekeeper, Calpurnia are figured whe white people around them can project various thoughts and feelings. They are narrative devices, or toys they can play with. They are not considered as fully realized human beings.

FINALLY:

Not only people are discriminated on the basis of colour but on the ethnic origin, language, culture as well as traditional history. And this immemorial social evils have been persisting even today. Not only at one corner of the state but globally. Recent mob in America where a Black African American was killed by a White Officer vividly explains that it is existing till date. Though almost half a century has passed since the publication of the novel. 

I don't know why people have Prejudice issues. Just because someone is eating at a fancy restaurant during weekdays celebration does not necessarily mean the person is happy. Likewise if we happen to see a customer in filthy clothes at a luxurious mall we assume and might be have already made an assumption why is he even at the mall???

So just because a person is Black or White, from a rich prestigious family or from a poor family, wearing a stylish clothes and ragged clothes or any ethnic origin doesn't give us the right to discriminate or misjudge them. People are good because of the behaviours and manners they show not by the colour of their skin. People are just if they stand for what is true rather than standing along with the crowd. 

So that's all. I didn't know when the book was over.The author has already left us hanging to imagine our own sort of ending. I have already imagined the end. Did you imagine your own kind of ending to the novel??🤔

BY SANJITA NAPIT